Now that Steve Jobs health has caused him to recess from the company for a while .............

[Stinky The Clown]

..... will the company falter?

I recall that after he left the last time, they got a little off track. Have they learned from him after his return? Is Apple, in fact, a personality-dependent company?

[FreeState]

1. I think they will do just fine

Steve will still be available when needed - however its important to realize that Timothy Cook who is now in charge was in charge in 2004 for the cancer break back then. From all account Cook has basically been running Apple since with over site from Jobs.

[awoke_in_2003]

2. I think Steve...

learned from the last time. I am sure his replacement, should it come to that, is hand picked and trained in the power of the Reality Distortion Field :)

P.S. The bit about the RDF was a joke, I love all my apple products.

[supernova]

3. I dunno, Jobs excels at finding

"the next big thing"

Not everybody in the boardroom has that talent. Most are of the play it safe variety.


I certainly hope they can. I would hate to see Apple's vision for very usable technology go by the wayside simply because SJ is too sick.

edit: And I do wish him well; whatever he has does look like it's taking its toll on him.

[alfredo]

4. Don't Worry About Apple- robert Cringley

http://www.cringely.com/

Apple will be fine.

Steve Jobs is an amazing chief executive, clearly the best of his era, but that doesn’t make him irreplaceable. True, he saved Apple, but now Apple is saved. The company is rich, has growing market share and a mindshare dominance envied throughout the computer AND music AND video AND mobile phone industries. Steve could die tomorrow and Apple would be fine for years to come. Apple might even be better.

Steve, for all his design insight and high standards is also a pain in the ass, but it is his narcissism – keeping the whole company on edge and terrified, will he or won’t he? – that has to have taken a toll and may well land the company in court. Twenty thousand people are sitting around wondering whether their jobs are endangered because he is ill and that’s just crazy.

[Elwood P Dowd]

5. Tim Cook is a good ole boy from down here in Alabama.

Graduated from Auburn in Industrial Engineering and received his Masters from Duke.

From the Apple site.....

Timothy D. Cook is Apple’s chief operating officer and reports to Apple's CEO. Cook is responsible for all of the company's worldwide sales and operations, including end-to-end management of Apple’s supply chain, sales activities, and service and support in all markets and countries. He also heads Apple's Macintosh division and plays a key role in the continued development of strategic reseller and supplier relationships, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.

Before joining Apple, Cook was vice president of Corporate Materials for Compaq and was responsible for procuring and managing all of Compaq’s product inventory. Previous to his work at Compaq, Cook was the chief operating officer of the Reseller Division at Intelligent Electronics.

Cook also spent 12 years with IBM, most recently as director of North American Fulfillment where he led manufacturing and distribution functions for IBM’s Personal Computer Company in North and Latin America.

Cook earned an M.B.A. from Duke University, where he was a Fuqua Scholar, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University.

[alfredo]

7. Does he have the charisma to lead Apple?

[Elwood P Dowd]

8. I have no idea about his charisma compared to Jobs.

Maybe Apple should hire Carly Fiorina.

:hide:

[alfredo]

9. I've seen lichen with more Charisma than her.

[AlCzervik]

6. one of his biggest talents is surrounding himself with really talented people, Cook is

a good choice and Apple will go on.